On 2007-03-31, Ozark Bicycle wrote:
On Mar 31, 7:28 am, richard wrote:
Having yet to build my first wheel, I have a question about tensiometers.

Is the absolute measure of (whatever - isn't it really a distance
deflection rather than a force, although threads tend to indicate that
it reads in force) that critical? OR, is the only thing critical its
ability to give the same reading on the same spoke (and spokes with the
same tension) consistantly?

In other words, is "each spoke tightened to so many Kg" as important as
knowing all spokes are tensioned equally?

IMO, knowing that spoke tension is consistent from spoke to spoke
(i.e., "relative" spoke tension) is more critical than knowing the
"absolute" spoke tension to a really great degree of accuracy (IOW,
95Kgf v. 105Kgf is not a big deal).

This is something I've never understood. I don't bother with a
tensiometer myself, but surely if the spoke tensions aren't all about
the same then the wheel will be out of true? And if the only way to get
it true is with uneven tensions (if for example the rim isn't round and
flat in the first place), then you probably need uneven tension since
you will obviously require the wheel to be true.

I suppose if every other spoke on each side was loose you could have a
true wheel with uneven tension, but there's a minimal chance of that
happening by mistake.